Local anglers can look forward to some fresh stockings of trout as the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission began their winter trout stocking on Oct. 1. The stockings will continue through mid-December. During that time, the agency said it will stock approximately 116,500 hatchery raised adult Rainbow, Brown and Brook trout in 118 streams and lakes.

In October alone, the PFBC will stock approximately 87,900 trout in 93 waters, including 53 lakes and 40 streams including 16 Keystone Select Trout Waters which are managed under Delayed Harvest Artificial Lures Only regulations. An additional 25 lakes will be stocked with approximately 28,600 trout during November and December, which is in time for some possible ice fishing opportunities.

Locally, the only water that is scheduled for stocking is the Little Lehigh on Oct. 17 with Rainbow trout. Over in Northampton County, only Minsi Lake will receive rainbows on Oct. 10. In neighboring Berks County, Antietam Reservoir will get rainbows on 11-13-24 and on 12-7-24, Kaercher Creek Dam will also get rainbows. There are no planned stockings for Carbon County.

This past Saturday, a portion of the Little Lehigh Creek received some trout from the Lil-Le-Hi trout nursery for handicapped children. It’s a great time for these kids to fish without pressure from other anglers.

The PFBC reminds trout anglers that during the extended trout season (Sept. 3- Dec. 31, 2024 and Jan. 1- Feb. 8, 2025), the daily creel limit is three trout of combined species with a minimum size of seven inches. This applies only to designated Stocked Trout Waters.

DELAWARE RIVER

If you fish the Delaware River and perhaps launch a boat at the Matamoras Access in Pike County, be advised it will be temporarily closed for ramp repairs from Oct. 7 through Oct. 9. The PFBC recommends anglers use the Zane Gray Access upstream until it reopens.

ARCHERY BEAR HUNTING SEASON

The archery bear hunting season in local WMUs 2B, 5C and 5D opened Sept. 21 for a split season. It now opens in 18 other WMUs on Oct. 5 for a split season that includes a Sunday Nov. 17. Locally, the October opener adds WMUs 4C in most of Schuylkill County and 3D in Monroe County.

STARLING/SPARROW SEASON

Yes, you read right. I asked a few long-time hunter friends if they knew they could legally shoot Starlings and Sparrows. And they did not.

Actually, there is no closed season on them except during the regular firearms deer seasons. And there is no limit. Reason for that is that these birds came from another country and not native to Pennsylvania. As such they’re considered nuisance birds that rob native birds of food and will often take over nests built by song birds and others.